1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to image processing, and more particularly to a system and method for vertebrae segmentation including a determination of disk orientation.
2. Discussion of Related Art
Magnetic resonance (MR) spine imaging has been widely used for non-invasive detection of different abnormalities and diseases in the spinal column, vertebrae, and inter-vertebral disks. In typical MR spine imaging cases, a patient is initially scanned to obtain a set of T2-weighted sagittal images or coronal localizer images. If an abnormality of an inter-vertebral disk is found, a transverse scan is performed. The orientation of the transverse images is planned parallel to the major axis of the disk and the center of the transverse images is located on where the disk joins the spinal cord. A saturation band 101 is placed to suppress strong MR signals from abdominal vessels and should not overlap with the spinal column (see FIG. 1).
Referring to FIG. 1, in a sagittal view of the vertebral column, the general shape of a vertebra can be approximated by a rectangle making it easier to perform an efficient segmentation. The orientation of the inter-vertebral disk is used to set up the slice stack 102.
Transverse imaging planning is done manually and is time-consuming and subject to intra- or inter-operator variation.
Therefore a need exists for a system and method for vertebrae segmentation including determination of disk orientation.